Night's Rise
by Sarah Riverhand
Summary: One dark night, two twin girls were born to a hedgewitch in the lower city. Will the city be able to stand when they unleash their power? Rated T for safety.
1. Prologue

In the dim light, the midwife paused to wipe her brow. She hadn't any idea why she agreed to help this woman with her child on the night of a blood moon. Under her soothing hand, a woman panted and gasped, muscles straining to expel her new child. The midwife carefully coached her, and reached to grab a blanket. Her hand flew to her mouth when she saw the two comets outside the window. She shook her head, and grabbed the blanket, guiding the child out of it's- her- mother. The child took a deep, shuddering breath, and lay quietly. The midwife expertly swaddled the child, before realizing a second was coming. The woman guided the second child out, another girl, who also took a deep breath, before quietly allowing the midwife to wrap her. She put the children next to the mother, and took the couple coppers that were her payment. She walked out the door, wanting nothing to do with these cursed children.

-

Lydaine Night woke up to sunlight streaming through her window, and she looked at her two girls on the floor. Kaegan was curled up next to her sister, hands covering her ears. Kaelin, had her arms wrapped around her sister, both sleeping soundly. She didn't know why these two acted the way they did, in this peculiar fashion of theirs. Getting up, she walked to the cupboard where she kept her coppers, and left for food. Everyone knew these children of hers were cursed, even as much as she did. Walking on the street here, she saw the muck, and felt it gathering around her feet. Stopping at Mistress Salmon's stall, she got a loaf of cornbread, two meat patties, and a couple pasties. She stopped at Mistress Clove's on her way back, where she got two books, a slate, and a quill and inkwell set for each. Cursed or not, they were her children, and she'd sworn to the Goddess to keep any children she was blessed with alive, and to do well by them. They needed to learn to read, and she would have to teach them.


	2. Chapter 1

From the journal of Kaelin Night

Monday, April 15, 216 H.E

Mage my ma may've been, it din't stop someone from killin her. Kaegan and I are alone now, her with her shadow-voices, and me wit my spirits. I can't do naught for them, but anytime I come across someone dead 'afore the dead-cart take em, I know all they've done afore they died.

Kaegan and I 'ave naught to live on but a 'andful of coppers, and but two silver nobles, and it'll get us next to naught. The two of us 'll stay here, but t'wont last if we can't bring aught in. Us on'y bein 15 each, we ain't gonna be able to find honest work. Kaegan's willin to theive, but I ain't. mightn't get a choice though. We c'n work magic, if'n we're together. Tha's the only time it'll work. We made a liht for Kaegan, t'keep her shadow voices away. Kaegan and I are well enough in 'r looks, for all w're cursd. We 'ave wavy black hair tha's notted most days, if'n we're not carefull. We'r both thin, but shapely enough. Our peaches are nice enough, small but shapely. Kaegan likes to wear dresses, n I got m'breeches. I have midnight blue eyes, with gold flecks, ma used to say. She said th only way she could tell us apart was our eyes. Kaegan's eyes 'ave purple flecks. People say they was magicked, or'n she's cursed. But 'tween the blood moon an' the comets, we were cursd anyhow

I must sleep. I gotta find work t'morrow.


	3. Chapter 2

From the journal of Kaegan Night

Tuesday, April 16, 216 H.E.

Ma always said… Tha's all Kaelin ever talks about nowadays. She don't seem to know ma's gone. If she do, she don' care.

Naught we can do 'bout it now. Kaelin is always tellin wha needs done, this an that. I don' listen too much. Im gonna start practicing, goin to the court to learn sommat. The Rogue, he's nice enuf, but he won't last. Im gonna make most of it. Kaelin's not noticed ive been filchin scraps from her. Tis hard, theivin', when 'm in the shadows the shadow-voices 're so loud. Im makin a new skirt, so I don' stand out. I can't take t' theivin if I draw iys. Ma said I had t' practice writin if I want t' make a livin, so I best start. Mayhap I c'n be a scibe or sommat.

Off to th' market. Mayhap I can filch some bread or sommat.


End file.
